Posted by Quintal on May 26, 2008, at 10:31:44
In reply to Just an idea here... » Quintal, posted by Racer on May 26, 2008, at 9:28:41
I sympathize with this poster because I've been in the same position myself, and my pdoc at that time did not have any kind of special insight into my condition that I didn't, indeed he discharged me without medication because he thought I was simply a drug-seeking malingerer. After two years without any treatment due to his negligence I was literally was dragged into the secure unit of my local psychiatric hospital. This would very likely to have happened if I had been under medical supervision. As a result I don't trust his judgement, and am hopefully transferring to another pdoc who is wiser and more experienced.
I don't think it's a good idea to put doctors on pedestals and have unrealistic expectations of their abilities. Many of us only spend 10-20 minutes giving a brief outline of our symptoms, and as a result our pdocs know little or nothing about who we are and how we function. My pdoc doesn't have a clue even though I've been with him for five years now (not just my perception, but one of my social worker too). I think it's up to each person to be honest about the situation they're in and the treatment they're getting. As you say, we don't know the exact circumstances of each poster, but what I'm hearing here is an all too familiar story of a pdoc who has been trained (or brainwashed) to think that antipsychotics are the best thing since sliced bread. In the long run I think it's a view that will show itself to be as foolish as prescribing Valium indefinitely to anyone who walks through the door with minor worries or temporary insomnia.
>This poster is apparently bipolar, how do we know that the Abilify is not being prescribed as a mood stabilizer -- or even for actual psychosis?
I thought it was being prescribed as a mood stabilizer. Really it's up to the poster to make their own decisions. If s/he went to another pdoc they too would carry out an assessment before prescribing any sort of drug. If two or three pdocs agreed that benzos were a poor choice I'd agree there might be something to it, but often all I'm seeing is faddy prescribing habits. The trouble is I know what it feels like to be stuck with one who just gives out whatever the drug companies happen to be flogging at the moment, and it's horrible. I'm just lending support to someone who seems to be stuck in the same situation I was.
Q
poster:Quintal
thread:831159
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080519/msgs/831199.html